Shelby Sues Internet Forum

Mr $helby has now folded his tent and departed from Octane, so you can come back now. (Replaced by Rowan Atkinson. Quite.) But not before he promoted his Mustangs once more and the 'fact' that he 'builds' over 300 Cobras a year in his Las Vegas factory. So that'll be adding the wheels and giving the car a wax polish then. Ker-ching...$$$

 

[Bill Kearley]

I think $helby has lost it. I felt somthing at saac 27 and even sujested to the main man, (not the very $$$$ old man, he did not atend) in person that I would like to have him sign on my glove box! Hats of to Rick and his people for saving the club. This is all to do lawyers and cash nothing to do with real people, the hobby or special intrest groups

 

[Tom]

Interesting side note on $helby - has anyone seen how much of the money collected for his children's charity has actually been disbursed to children in need?

 

[Mark Charlton]

Mr $helby has now folded his tent and departed from Octane, so you can come back now. (Replaced by Rowan Atkinson. Quite.)

Thanks for the good news Trevor. I haven't received the latest issue yet. Too bad that Nick Mason left as well. I was rather hoping his wife would take over his column because she's a very entertaining read.

Nice touch on the "$helby". I've not seen that before and it suits well (until the lawyers get involved, anyway).

Tom: I did a good bit of Googling and could only find one recent amount for $52K plus a car or two. Not much else as it appears. Then I found this from an article in AutoNews:

No one has accused Shelby or the foundation staff of misappropriating money. But Shelby's administrators admit that the organization has been run too loosely and hasn't doled out enough funds.

In 2005, the latest year for which tax returns are available, the foundation took in $594,062 in contributions and gave out only $24,944 in grants. More than half of that money went to two charities: the National Institute of Transplantation, which received $10,000, and St. Vincent Meals on Wheels, which received $5,000.

Recently, much larger sums have started to roll in - mainly because of a new partnership with Ford Motor Co. Since 2006, Ford has donated four vehicles that have brought in about $1.76 million from auctions and raffle sales. Yet the foundation still isn't doing much with the proceeds.

Shelby declined to be interviewed. But John Luft, president of Carroll Shelby Licensing Inc., says the problems are being addressed. He insists that Jenni Shreeves, the foundation's executive director since 2004, and new corporate partner Ford Motor Co. are making much-needed improvements.

Nonprofit organizations endowed by private individuals or corporations are required to give at least 5 percent of their total assets to charities annually, says Kelly Simone, a lawyer with the Council on Foundations in Washington. The law is intended to prevent parking otherwise taxable funds in nonprofits.

The Shelby foundation has donated far less than 5 percent, although it is not bound by the same regulations. Shelby's charity avoids the 5 percent rule because it gets all its funds from public donations. Shelby has not put his own money into the foundation.

The foundation also has fallen far short of voluntary standards set by the BBB Wise Giving Alliance, an Arlington, Va., organization that helps donors make informed judgments about charities.

 

[Jac Mac]

Whatever the outcome of the "shapeshifting" argument, it surely only means a royalty paying on each production kit, what, say about 10% of retail? And a mere 5% for every car a producer has ever sold in the past? What's the problem? :lipsrsealed:

Looking ahead, it might see the death of the turnkey and turnkey minus as options.

But hey! They are nice guys right?

I think the royalty was considerably more than that--- check out the statement issued by FFR on their website---

 

[Keith]

$helby - Goose The Killing Golden That The Egg Lays

Re-arrange etc....:veryangry:

He used to be my hero.... :sad:

It just goes to prove: Chicken $hit is just that - Chicken $hit..

 

[Jac Mac]

I ''used'' to feel quite bad about being party many years ago to cutting a pranged,but Genuine Shelby Fastback in half in order to get a complete body shell for a stock car, time & todays revelations are numbing the pain Not so sure about how the boss proceeded to destroy the Hi-Po 289 & all alloy 'Sebring' T10 close ratio box in fairly quick succession though.

 

[Jim Rosenthal]

I'm glad to see him leave OCTANE as well; it's a great magazine. They do rotate their columnists to keep things interesting; it's a great read every month.

I still feel that the Safir guys are cut from another bolt of cloth entirely. If they decide to act in a fashion other than the way they have so far, I'll be as critical as anyone else.

 

[Randy V]

Don't feel too bad Jac - I can't say that I cut up a Shelby but I've turned 2 original 69 Z-28's into racecars and ripped the seized up (ex wife - long story) 426 Hemi from my old 68 Dodge Charger - threw it away and cobbled up the K-frame and mounts and exhaust to fit a 383 from a wrecked Cop Car into it so I could sell it.

 

[Cliff Beer]

Thanks Cliff
Kind of hi-lights peoples motives...

One last question, I thought I read somewhere that Safir only had rights to build 20 (or so) cars in number sequence beyond 1107 (or 1108 - can't remember) which was the last MkIII. If that is the case, then did their "rights" not cease beyond this point as to the production of GT40 continuations?

Hi Bill, in the purchase of the name and the tooling, Safir may have given the seller a contractual assurance of that kind ie a number sequence limitation - it's very possible. However, what is clear is that their use of the GT40 mark (and anything "confusingly similar") is absolute - they have it, and they've licensed certain people (Superformance, for one) to use it in exchange for money. Follow the money, and you'll find the answer in most business situations.

 

[TVRPAUL]

It is sad, it seems the older you get the more you think people are trying to steal from you or take something that is yours, Maybe that just happens with age, thank god I have not gotten to that point yet ?

 

[Al Jones]

If any of you saw the interview with Mr S during the Las Vegas Nascar race this Sunday,you're probably still puking or your TV set has the remote half buried in the screen! Pure BS.

 

[J. Salmon]

It is sad, it seems the older you get the more you think people are trying to steal from you or take something that is yours, Maybe that just happens with age, thank god I have not gotten to that point yet ?

I am concerned that he is genuinely demented - think early Alzheimer's. If anyone has seen a family member go though it, you probably can relate.

My mother developed an early onset dementia similar to Alzheimer's (Pick's disease, she was in her early sixties). Early on, she was a board member at the local hospital. She became more and more focused on a few "issues" that worried her, could not let them go, and ultimately was removed from the board. So here you have a room full of professionals including physicians, and no one suggested she could have an actual medical problem. The changes are so subtle and progressive that you don't see them creeping up until they are looming over you.

Or he could just be a bitter old man.

 

[wpeter]

I believe Safir has an uphill battle regarding the shape issue. There has been a lot of water under the dam since 66 and the previous owners of the name never thought enough of the mark to control the design. In that time it has become ubiquitous in the automotive world. Had the design been patented in the past or trademarked in some way and there was continuity of that protection they might have a better chance. That is why Shelby does what he does. Add the Ford GT and Fords money to the equation and I think Safir will spend everything they have in their pursuit of this. Remember that Ford has had it's name on this car since the beginning. So who really owns the shape?? I think Ford.

 

[Aussie Kid]

Sad to hear what CS is up tooooo...

Ian K

Mmmm be careful I own the name Happy Meal.. :LOL:

 

[TVRPAUL]

Right up there and better than "A few fries short of a happy meal".

Or When did you get out of the Rubber Cottage

 

[Keith]

Sad to hear what CS is up tooooo...

Ian K

Mmmm be careful I own the name Happy Meal.. :LOL:

No you don't..